Simultaneous embossing and printing

ABSTRACT

A hot stamping printing press has type dies higher than stamping dies so that more than one print die and stamping die and foil can simultaneously print without interference with each other at a single press stroke.

United States Patent 1191 Apicella Aug. 13, 1974 1 SIMULTANEOUS EMBOSSING AND 1,939,081 12/1933 Prager 101/25 2,029,646 2/1936 We1ter.. 101/97 PRINTING 2,065,690 12/1936 Gould... 101/27 [76] Inventor: Anthony Apicella, 138 Bodman PL, 3,075,457 1/1963 Worth 101/27 Marbella, 07701 3,217,638 11/1965 Gottscho 101/27 3,272,120 9/1966 Johnson 101/269 X [22] Flledi July 1973 3,289,573 12/1966 Apice11a 101/27 3,316,835 5/1967 Liepelt 101/27 [21] Appl' 3,584,572 6/1971 Apicella 101/24 R l t dU.S. A 1 t Data [63] pp ca Ion 9 Primary Examiner-Clyde I. Coughenour Contmuation-m-part of Ser. No. 1 1,935, Oct. 22, Attorney Agent, or Firm Auslander & Thomas 1971 111 11 19 11 4.

[52] US. Cl 101/24, 101/27, 10l/213, ABSTRACT 101/294' A hot stamping printing press has type dies higher [51 [11L Cl B441) 5/00 than Stamping dies so that more than one print die and [58] Field of Search 101/9, 10, 11, 24, 27, Stamping die and foil can simultaneously prim without 101/ 31 interference with each other at a single press stroke.

[56] References Cited 22 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,000,656 8/1911 Wood 101/401 X I46 47 I42 I44 143 PATENIEO we 1 sum SHEET 2 OF 4 llllllllllfl PAIENIE m 1 31914 A'SHEET an? 4 Y INVENTORQ ANT HO NY APICELLA BY PAIENIEB ms 1 31974 SHEU Hll 4 I /-45511WH BY M INVENTOR.

ANTHONY APICELLA SIMULTANEOUS EMBOSSING AND PRINTING This is a continuation-in-part application of Ser. No. 191,935 filed Oct. 22, 1971 in group 337 of the U.S. Patent Office, now abandoned.

The present invention relates to a novel printing system wherein simultaneous printing, stamping, embossing may be carried out in a select choice of multiple printing, stamping and embossing and related operations. 1

I-Ieretofore, multiple operations have been carried on presses such as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,573, wherein a chase had a hot stamping die with a web ,of foil passing beneath the chase and above a printing support web at one station and then two successive stations for printing in different colors including cutting.

The printing dies were inked by short rollers which rotated around the upper frame and chase parallel to the printing dies and hot stamping dies. The foil passed separately between the printing web, and the chase parallel to the rollers so that there was no overlapping as between the inking, stamping, embossing and cutting. The web to be printed, stamped and embossed moved at a right angle to the dies and received an impression at each station.

Such a setup, while an improvement over the art prior to it, still was limited with regard to the use and placement of a plurality of foils and colors and the placement of foils and dies.

According to the present invention, a printing system and apparatus is provided, allowing free arrangement of hot dies and normal printing dies and a selection of more than one stamping foil and color without interference of inking rollers or hot dies and printing dies.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic of the invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and the manner in which it may be carried out may be further understood by reference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a bottom plan view of a printing chase of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail bottom plan view of the turned foil of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation in semi-schematic form of the press, ink roller, foil and printed web of FIG. 1 showing inked and printed embossed roll stock coming off the press.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a chase of the present invention having a plurality of hot dies and printing dies with a roll for inking the printing dies.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view from below the foil of an upper chase and crossing foils of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the upper chase of FIG. 5 showing the dies.

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of an upper frame and chase of the present invention with a printing web and crossing foils.

FIG. 8 is a bottom plan view of an upper chase of the present invention with foils crossing at an angle.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of a chase of the present invention with selected hot stamping and printing dies attached.

FIG. 10 is a schematic elevation view of a platen press with foil and dies of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a rotary press with printing and hot stamping dies of the present invention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like reference numbers denote like parts in the various figures.

The chase 10 which is a die supporting surface as shown in FIG. 1 is a conventional chase such as mountable in presses made according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,573.

The chase as shown has a large printing plate 11 mounted on a block '12 and affixed to the chase by meanswell known in the art. Additional printing blocks 13, 14 are mounted on either side of a hot stamping die '15 which may also be a heatable embossing die.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, a web of foil passes beneath the hot stamping die 15 through a slot 1 in a turn bar 17 where it passes free of the printing dies l1, l3, l4 and is drawn off in normal operation in direction A by measured pull means known in the art (not shown).

The turn bar 17 includes an opening 2 slightly larger than the die 15 so that the hot die 15 can pass through the turn bar 17 and heat stamp and emboss the paper web 21 on the upstroke of a reciprocating press such as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,289,573.

The die 15 is affixed to the chase 10 by means well known in the art, and further has electrical connections 18, 19 leading to the side of the chase 11 so that the die 15 may be heated to properly heat stamp foil or plastic and emboss if desired.

As will be more clearly shown in subsequent figures, the hot stamping die 15 does not extend as far as any of the printing dies ll, l3, 14.

In FIG. 3, the ink roller 20 is shown passing over the printing dies ll, 14. Because of its depressed level the hot stamping die 15 is untouched by the ink on the ink roller 20.

When a printing impression is made, the paper web 21 receives the ink. The pressure against the printing web or platen (not shown in FIG. 3) impresses the die 15 to stamp and/or emboss in one pass of the press while the web 21 is printed by dies 11, 13, 14. This imression is made without interference of printing in foil or dies. Once the print stroke has been made, the foil 16 may be taken up a measured distance onto a reel by means well known in the art (not shown).

The turn bar 17 is set low enough so that it is in a free area between the dies when the impression is made.

In FIG. 3 the paper web 21 can be seen coming off the press in the direction of arrow A. The foil web also comes off the turn bar 17 in the direction of arrow A.

In FIG. 4, a chase is shown from below with six foil webs 31 36 running at a right angle to the chase 30. Each web is associated with hot stamping dies 37 42. The dies 37 42 are conventionally wired to the electric outlet of the chase by wires 43, 44.

While a paper web is not shown in FIG. 4, the movement of the paper web is in the direction of arrow B. Such movement could be such as to make a single impression or optionally successive impression around the printing and hot stamping dies so as to achieve a selected result depending upon the advance of the web (not shown) on each stroke.

The roller passes the foil webs 31 36 and the chase 30 is divided into sections 46, 47, 48, etc., which may have access to various colored ink reservoirs 49, 50, 51, etc., to ink selected or different colors on the dies 37 42 as the roller 45 passes over. The reservoirs 49, 50, 51 are embodied schematically in the figure since inking 'of a roller or rollers is well-known in the art.

In FIG. a scattered selection of printing dies 61 64 are affixed to the chase 60. A further selection of hot stamping dies 65 68 are affixed to the chase 60. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the hot dies 65 68 are at a lower level than the ink printing dies 61 64. Viewing FIG. 5 upward from beneath the foil webs 69 71, it can be seen that no web 69 71 crosses a print die nor do any of the webs 69 71 cross any hot stamp die 65 68. Simple adjustment allows freedom of webs 69 71 movement, inking printing, stamping, embossing and web takeup by means known in the art.

In FIG. 7 a typical press construction showing somewhat schematically its upper frame 80, a web support surface 81 and an upper chase 82.

The upper chase 82 has high printing dies 83 86 and hot stamping dies 87 89. The die configuration may appear in exaggerated contrast for emphasis. The die configuration is substantially as found in FIG. 5.

Above the web support surface 81 is a web of paper 90 in the case shown moveable from a feed roll 91 to a take-up roll 98.

Foil webs 92, 93, 94 are shown stationed between the point dies 83 86. It should be noted that optional pull directions of the foil webs 92, 93, 94 may be had as indicated by the arrows associated with each web. Web 92 is provided with a guide bar 95 to keep it free of foil webs 92, 93. The actual levels of foil webs 92, 93 are spaced apart a greater distance than necessary for the purpose of emphasizing the relationship of the plurality of foil webs 92 94. The pulling of the webs 92 94 and take up means are by means well known in the art.

The ink rollers 96, 97 may be segmented as roller 45 in FIG. 4 or may be stationed appropriately across the frame 80. In either event they have the option of inking the printing dies 83 86 in a selection of colors dependent upon their ink reservoirs and the die positions. The typical rotation of the ink rollers 96, 97 about the frame 80 is illustrated by the arrow in the direction C. In phantom, the rollers are shown starting the pass under the upper chase 82.

In FIG. 8 a chase 100 is shown, viewed upward from beneath with foil webs 101, 102 passing over hot stamping dies 103 106 and across the chase 100 at oblique angles. The hot stamping dies are affixed to the chase 100 by means well known in the art and are electrically connected to the chase 100 by wires 107. The higher printing dies 108 111 are conventionally attached to the chase 100.

In FIG. 9 the chase is shown with alternate skew placement of high print dies 121 124 and hot stamp dies 125, 126. While the use and placement of dies is very flexible, there are practical limitations to their positioning in some instances.

FIG. is a schematic detail of a conventional platen press. The chase 130 has a low hot stamping die-131 attached to the chase by wires 132. A foil web 133 is positioned across the die 131. A vertically-rotatable foil take up 134 takes up the used foil 133 and gives the selected distance pull. The high print die 135 prints by conventional means. The platen 136 is indicated in phantom.

In FIG. 11 a rotor 140 is provided an electric input such as through commutators 141, 142 to heat a hot stamping die 143.

Normal high rotating dies 144, 145 are set on the rotor 140 while the'hot stamping die 143 is inset with a foil web 146 passing through the inset 147. It is preferable that the foil have a separate pull mechanism (not shown) since the repeat of the hot stamped imprint may not be at the same frequency as the printing imprint and it is preferable not to leave portions of the foil 146 unused. A proper foil pull can present a fresh foil surface for each point of hot stamp impression separate and apart from the rotation of the rotor 140 and its area of print.

In operation a chase 10 or its equivalent is generally capable of functioning with many multicolor presses. While reference has been made herein to printing and stamping dies, it should be noted that printing and cutting dies may be employed as well as hot stamping, embossing and cutting dies including dies made in accordance with my US. Pat. No. 3,584,572.

The applicability is also flexible so that sheets or rolls may be successively moved for successive steps of overprinting or sheets or rolls may be simultaneously printed, hot stamped and embossed or cut. Multiple impressions may be made on sheet or roll in one pass. Sheets may be fed instead of rolls in more than one selected direction. All of this is old in the art.

In printing, hot stamping and embossing there are usually chases to which the print dies and hot dies may be affixed and wired. The impression is usually made against a platen, a web, or a roller, all of which have a degree of resilience.

Whereas in the present invention the ink receiving dies may be set up on the chase or roller at a level perhaps even an eighth of an inch higher, the ink roller may cover the entire chase area without fouling the hot stamp die. The very gap in height between the type high printing die and the low hot die provides a pathway for the foil, whether it be metal or plastic or any other.

The direction of printing web movement, the disposition of the printing high dies and the stamping hot dies is not very limited.

The foil is generally at a level near the paper web away from the inking rollers and all dies. When the impression is made such as with my press in US. Pat. No. 3,289,573, the web moves and the foil is taken up for the next impression. According to the present invention, the in-roll can cover the entire chase and more than one foil may be stamped or more than one embossing may be made simultaneously.

Whether multiple foils are parallel, the criteria for printing is that no foil passes through any high die area since it may print or foul.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 a simple turn of the foil avoids the fouling. As can be seen in FIG. 5, no foils can cross a hot die area lest the purpose of one foil may be frustrated or fouled. Adjustment of foil heights as shown in FIG. 7 may avoid interference between foils though it is believed that the foils may be in contact in crossing.

The state of the art insofar as pulling foils and webs is sufficiently advanced to allow great flexibility. In FIG. 8 oblique foils cross the chase 100 and overlie two sets of hot dies 103 106. A sufficient foil pull could impress to more sets of hot dies with one impression.

The press platen rollers or webs are generally of hard rubber or the like and able to take the impression of the imprint with resilience. This very resilience provides the space differential between the type high dies and the low hot stamping dies. Each can give its desired impression, yet leave room for a free inking of the type dies and the free foil hot stamping, embossing and/or cutting of the printing web by the printing impression.

The outer surface of the heatable dies are a shorter distance from the support surface than the outer surface of the printing dies. Notwithstanding this, the pressure of the printing impression is sufficient to heat stamp and transfer the substrate from the foil and also if desired, emboss.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms of description; it is recognized, though, that various modifications are possible.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail, what is claimed is:

l. A simultaneous printing and stamping apparatus comprising, a die supporting surface, at least one print die mounted on said surface, at least one heatable die mounted on said support surface, means to heat said heatable die, said heatable die having an outer surface of lesser distance from said die support surface than the distance from said dies support surface of said print die, at least one foil web having a transferable substrate, said at least one foil web interposable, between said heatable die s outer surface and a printing support surface, inking means moving with respect to said supporting surface and inking said at least one print die while overriding said at least one heatable die so that only said at least one print die is inked, and said at least one foil web interposed between said heatable die supporting surface and said printing support surface from a selected position, no foil web interposed be neath any printing die.

2. The invention of claim 1 including a plurality of print dies.

3. The invention of claim wherein said heatable die is an embossing die.

4. The invention of claim 1 including an angle bar, said foil guided by said angle bar and taken up at an angle from the direction of feed.

5. The invention of claim 1 including a printing web.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said inking means is a roller.

7. The invention of claim 1 including a plurality of heatable dies, a plurality of print dies.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said inking means is a roller adapted to override any heatable die and ink only said at least one printing die.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said roller is adapted to simultaneously ink a plurality of colors.

10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said roller is on the upper frame of a printing press.

I 11. The invention of claim 7 including a plurality of foil webs including selected substrates.

12. The invention of claim 7 including a plurality of foil webs, no said webs overlapping beneath any heat able die.

13. The invention of claim 1 wherein said foil web passes between said support surface and said heatable die at an oblique angle.

14. The invention of claim 1 wherein said foil web passes between said support surface and a plurality of heatable dies.

15. The invention of claim 1 wherein said printing support surface meets said die supporting surface with a straight stroke.

16. The invention of claim 1 wherein said printing support surface meets said die supporting surface by an angulated stroke.

17. The invention of claim 1 including means to advance said foil web a selected distance.

18. The invention of claim 7 including means to advance a plurality of foil webs.

19. The invention of claim 5 including means to advance said printing web a selected distance.

20. A rotary simultaneous printing and stamping apparatus comprising, a rotor, said rotor including a die supporting surface, at least one print die mounted on said surface, at least one heatable die mounted on said support surface, means to heat said heatable die, said heatable die having an outer surface of lesser distance from said die support surface than the distance from said die support surface to said print die outer surface,

at least one foil web having a transferable substrate, said at least one foil web interposable between said heatable dies outer surface and a printing support surface, and inking means moving with respect to said supporting surface and inking said at least one print die while overriding said at least one heatable die so that only said at least one print die is inked.

21. The invention of claim 20 wherein said rotor is inset at said heatable die mounting surface.

22. The invention of claim 20 including means to advance a plurality of foil webs. 

1. A simultaneous printing and stamping apparatus comprising, a die supporting surface, at least one print die mounted on said surface, at least one heatable die mounted on said support surface, means to heat said heatable die, said heatable die having an outer surface of lesser distance from said die support surface than the distance from said dies support surface of said print die, at least one foil web having a transferable substrate, said at least one foil web interposable between said heatable die''s outer surface and a printing support surface, inking means moving with respect to said supporting surface and inking said at least one print die while overriding said at least one heatable die so that only said at least one print die is inked, and said at least one foil web interposed between said heatable die supporting surface and said printing support surface from a selected position, no foil web interposed be neath any printing die.
 2. The invention of claim 1 including a plurality of print dies.
 3. The invention of claim wherein said heatable die is an embossing die.
 4. The invention of claim 1 including an angle bar, said foil guided by said angle bar and taken up at an angle from the direction of feed.
 5. The invention of claim 1 including a printing web.
 6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said inking means is a roller.
 7. The invention of claim 1 including a plurality of heatable dies, a plurality of print dies.
 8. The invention of claim 7 wherein said inking means is a roller adapted to override any heatable die and ink only said at least one printing die.
 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said roller is adapted to simultaneously ink a plurality of colors.
 10. The invention of claim 9 wherein said roller is on the upper frame of a printing press.
 11. The invention of claim 7 including a plurality of foil webs including selected substrates.
 12. The invention of claim 7 including a plurality of foil webs, no said webs overlapping beneath any heatable die.
 13. The invention of claim 1 wherein said foil web passes between said support surface and said heatable die at an oblique angle.
 14. The invention of claim 1 wherein said foil web passes between said support surface and a plurality of heatable dies.
 15. The invention of claim 1 wherein said printing support surface meets said die supporting surface with a straight stroke.
 16. The invention of claim 1 wherein said printing support surface meets said die supporting surface by an angulated stroke.
 17. The invention of claim 1 including means to advance said foil web a selected distance.
 18. The invention of claim 7 including means to advance a plurality of foil webs.
 19. The invention of claim 5 including means to advance said printing web a selected distance.
 20. A rotary simultaneous printing and stamping apparatus comprising, a rotor, said rotor including a die supporting surface, at least one print die mounted on said surface, at least one heatable die mounted on said support surface, means to heat said heatable die, said heatable die having an outer surface of lesser distance from said die support surface than the distance from said die support surface to said print die outer surface, at least one foil web having a transferable substrate, said at least one foil web interposable between said heatable die''s outer surface and a printing support surface, and inking means moving with respect to said supporting surface and inking said at least one print die while overriding said at least one heatable die so that only said at least one print die is inked.
 21. The invention of claim 20 wherein said rotor is inset at said heatable die mounting surface.
 22. The invention of claim 20 including means to advance a plurality of foil webs. 